With the rise of point per reception (PPR) leagues, the wide receiver has become the premium asset in fantasy. Searching for that top pass catcher becomes a mission for managers at the top of the draft order. Identifying that top WR isn’t as easy as it seems. In 2025, JA’MARR CHASE is the WR1 according to Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) after finishing in that spot last year. However, repeating isn’t likely. Over the last decade not only has there not been a back-to-back player finishing as WR1 but there hasn’t been a player to do it twice in that time. The list:
2024 JA’MARR CHASE
2023 CEEDEE LAMB
2022 JUSTIN JEFFERSON
2021 COOPER KUPP
2020 DAVANTE ADAMS
2019 MICHAEL THOMAS
2018 TYREEK HILL
2017 DEANDRE HOPKINS
2016 JORDY NELSON
2015 ANTONIO BROWN
I am not suggesting passing on Ja’Marr Chase at the top of the draft order. Far from it. For fantasy, it’s not so important to land THE top fantasy scorer with your 1st pick but rather make sure your top pick is going to finish top 5-7. Chase is almost a lock to achieve that feat. In fact, the case for Chase as WR1 is easy. Last year he finished 1st in targets (175) receptions (127) receiving yards (1709) and receiving touchdowns (17). Chase was as good as it gets. In fact, he was so dominant there was a bigger fantasy scoring gap between WR1 & WR2 than there was between WR2 and WR15.
That said, if the trend continues, Chase is unlikely to finish as WR1. Also, if the trend continues, we will see a player not listed above to finish as WR1 as well. If it isn’t Chase and isn’t a repeat from the last decade, then who might finish as WR1? I’ve identified a few candidates that could take the top spot.
MALIK NABERS (ECR = WR5)
This is my favorite choice to land as the top fantasy wide receiver. The 6th pick in the 1st round a year ago, Nabers didn’t disappoint with his lofty draft capital. He burst onto the fantasy scene last year with a WR7 finish in year 1. Nabers finished 2nd in targets (170) and 3rd in receptions (109) totaling 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns. Nabers compiled those totals even with 2 missed games. A large part of his high target and catch total, outside his obvious superior talent, was the relative lack of competition for targets. What did the Giants do in the offseason to improve the receiver room? They added LIL’JORDAN HUMPHREY who had 293 yards with the Broncos last year. That’s it. Needless to say, Nabers will be a target monster again this year. What could push Nabers over the top is the projected improvement in the QB room.
Say what you will about RUSSELL WILSON, he should at least be an improvement over DANIEL JONES and DREW LOCK. Backing up Wilson is gun slinger JAMEIS WINSTON. He may be a turnover machine, but interceptions don’t affect Nabers scoring totals. 1st round pick JAXSON DART is also in the mix but projected to sit and learn in year one.
If the assumption is correct that the 2025 QB room is better than 2024, considering the lack of competition for Nabers it will be another excellent fantasy season for him and a strong candidate to finish atop the WR list.
DRAKE LONDON (ECR = WR10)
Another former top 10 player, London had a breakthrough season in 2024, amassing 1,271 yards and 9 touchdowns on 100 receptions to finish the year as the 5th overall fantasy receiver. Offensively, London is competing for touches with star running back BIJAN ROBINSON and has stronger competition for targets with DARNELL MOONEY lined up on the other side of the field and, to a lesser extent, KYLE PITTS at tight end. While those two are solid pass catchers the Falcons didn’t add any other meaningful receivers in the offseason. What makes London a candidate as the WR1 is the quarterback.
In 2024, Atlanta entered the season with KIRK COUSINS under center. As the season wore on, Cousins appeared to wear out. The Falcons turned to their rookie first round pick MICHAEL PENIX for the final 3 games. He clearly showed an affinity for London. In those 3 games, Penix peppered London with a whopping 41 targets that London turned into 22 catches for 352 yards and 2 touchdowns. While a small sample size, it’s a pace that exceeded his already strong WR5 numbers for the season. In fact, those numbers over an entire season would have pushed for WR1 overall status.
If Penix and London were able to grow their on-field rapport in their second season together, London could be a candidate for the top spot in 2025, making him at the very least a must have pick in the 2nd round of drafts.
NICO COLLINS (ECR = WR6)
On the surface, Collins making the leap to the WR1 seems farfetched as he was only WR22 a year ago. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. Collins missed 5 games due to injury. In the 12 regular season games he did play, Collins was WR9 in PPG. What makes Collins an intriguing candidate is the changes in the receiver room.
STEFON DIGGS and ROBERT WOODS are no longer with the team and TANK DELL is likely to miss the entire 2025 season. That leaves 175 vacated targets. The Texans added veteran slot receiver CHRISTIAN KIRK who had just 27 receptions in 8 games last year. Then the Texans added two rookies in the draft, selecting JAYDEN HIGGINS in the second round and JAYLIN NOEL in the third. Personally, I like both of those receivers and expect they will round out the top 3 receivers in Houston by season’s end. However, they are still just rookies.
CJ STROUD clearly has chemistry with Collins and will be the clear top target in this offense. On paper, the Texans have a favorable passing defense schedule which benefits Collins. If the rest of the wide receiver room ends up nothing more than a supporting cast to the Nico show, he has a shot to win the top spot in fantasy.
AMON-RA ST. BROWN (ECR = WR8)
ARSB has finished as WR3 in back-to-back seasons, so not a stretch to see him get the top spot. Add a self-proclaimed season that is “Super Bowl or bust” and imagine he’s putting a lot on his shoulders. There are a few elements working against St. Brown. Notably, the architect of the Lions offense Ben Johnson has left Detroit to be the head coach in Chicago. In addition, JAMESON WILLIAMS had a breakthrough last year and expectations are a stronger follow up season. SAM LAPORTA remains as a steady receiving target finishing as TE1 in 2023. The Lions also added ISAAC TESLAA in the 3rd round adding to the competition for St. Brown to command targets.
All those risks being a factor, you can’t ignore the production. ARSB has over 300 targets the past 2 seasons and clearly JARED GOFF’S favorite target. He’s also not a touchdown lightweight with double digit scores in each of the past two seasons. It would take a career high in touchdowns but in the realm of possibility. If you see that becoming a reality, Amon-Ra could be THE top receiver of 2025.
DK METCALF (ECR = WR21)
Ok, this one takes a leap of faith but hear me out…
While there has not been a repeat WR1 over the last decade there has been one quarterback to support two different WR1 finishes. That quarterback is AARON RODGERS. Throughout his career, he has favored the big-bodied alpha outside receiver and peppering that receiver with elite target share. In the offseason, the Steelers made and rather unconventional (at least for the Steelers) trade to bring Metcalf into Pittsburgh. One could connect the dots that ARod had something to do with the move. Also, the Steelers traded away GEORGE PICKENS, leaving very little in the way of competition in the receiver room. Currently the biggest competition for Metcalf is recently signed 33-year-old ROBERT WOODS and holdover CALVIN AUSTIN, who has the most catches from a receiver in 2024 with 36.
Metcalf making the leap into the top spot relies quite a bit on an Aaron Rodgers renaissance. But considering his upside, at a minimum he makes a smash pick in the 4th round of drafts.
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